Tag: Quaker

There will always be debate about numbers, percentages and odds in genealogy.

I am so lucky that we have such a wide range of ancestries and national origins in my husband’s and my family trees. Those who have read my posts before are already well aware that our ancestries branch off from four (or five) distinct groups, and marriage between these groups is rare.

The groups containing our ancestries are:

MY ANCESTRY

Acadians

French Huguenots escaping religious persecution in France in the mid to late 17th century relocated to the Atlantic coast of Canada and the United States, giving birth to the Acadian and Cajun cultures.

French Canadians

You would think, since the origins of French Canadians are essentially the same as the Acadians, there would be more intermarriage between the two, but I have found very few connections between the two groups in our family tree – at least so far. Most French Canadians descended from French explorers and pioneers involved in the fur trade and colonizing what is now part of Ontario and Quebec, although Acadians did find their way up the St. Lawrence River after the great expulsion (grand dérangement) of the French settlers by the British colonists.

MARK’S ANCESTRY

Scandinavian

Although the majority of the ancestry of my husband on his mother’s side is Swedish, the other Scandinavian nations and cultures are represented as well.

Welsh Quaker

Mark’s ancestry on his father’s side originates from Welsh immigrants who were also escaping religious persecution for their puritan beliefs at the hands of the Welsh and British nobility and clergy.

British Royalty and Nobility

The interesting point to make here is that Mark’s connections to British royalty and nobility occur through his Welsh Quaker ancestry.

Mathematically, Dick Eastman’s calculations of the numbers of ancestors and/or descendants in a family based upon an average number and length of generations, as well as an average number of children in families appear to make sense. However, there are so many variables affecting the numbers, that it is almost impossible to make accurate estimations, much less calculations.

These variables include:

Individuals who remained single and bore no children.

Individuals who died young and were never married, much less had children.

Mass deaths due to war, disease and poverty wiping out most or all of a generation or two.

Variations in sizes of families as influenced by tradition or custom, health and fertility, relationships, economics, etc.

One major point made by Dick is his belief that everyone can eventually trace their ancestries back to royalty, but by my experience, this appears to be flawed.

As illustrated in the diverse groups outlined above in our ancestries, we originate from several unique national, ethnic, and socio-economic groups. Examining our family tree makes it apparent that intermarriage between these groups was almost impossible due to geography, economics, politics and custom. Most people, no matter where they were from or how wealthy and socially prominent they were, usually married within their own group.

The interesting point illustrated by our ancestry is that although my husband’s and my ancestries are quite separate and rarely intermarried, the fact that he and I married and had our two children now combines our ancestries for all future generations. Therefore, it’s easy to assume that intermarriage occurred (and will occur) much more as the world became smaller through technology, multi-culturalism, etc., which are more modern phenomena of the last hundred years or so.

Brig. Gen. Evan Shelby Jr. of Tregaron, Wales.

Brig. Gen. Evan Shelby Jr., born in 1725 in Tregaron, Ceredigion, Wales to Evan (Dhu) Shelby (Selby) and his wife Catherine Morgan and was baptised in St. Caron’s church. This Evan Shelby’s birth is frequently confused with that of his earlier brother Evan, who was born in 1720 and died as an infant in 1721.

Evan and his family immigrated to America from Tregaron, Wales in approximately 1735, when he was about ten years of age, and settled in what was later called Antrim Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

In 1739, they moved into Prince George’s (later Frederick) County, Maryland where his father died in July 1751.

Evan Jr. continued to reside in Maryland, near the North Mountain, Frederick County (now a part of Washington County) where he obtained by either deed or patent nearly 24,000 acres of land. He became interested in the Indian fur trade and was concerned in trading posts at Michilimackinac and Green Bay.

On February 26, 1745, Evan Jr. purchased property from his father, called “Maiden’s Choice” in Prince George County, Maryland.

Evan married Letitia (Leddy) Cox (Coxe) on December 4, 1745 at Kings Meadow. They had seven children: Rachel, born 1745; Susannah, born 1746; John, born 1748; Governor Isaac Shelby, born 1750; James, born 1752; Catherine, born 1755; Major Evan Shelby III, born 1757; and Moses, born 1761.

In his publication “The Birthplace and Childhood Home of Isaac Shelby in Washington County, Maryland”, 1972, Gerald J Sword describes how Evan and Letitia Shelby lost the fight for their land (part of “Maidens Choice”) to Dr Charles Carroll. It’s not clear who aptly renamed the land to “Shelby’s Misfortune”.

Mr. Sword states:

“…The reason for Letitia to appear in court was to answer charges that she instructed their ‘Dutch servant man’ to cut down and burn the tree marking the beginning point of this land.

In June 1754, Shelby gave a recognizance of 6,000 lbs of tobacco for the appearance of his wife to answer the charges against her in the Frederick Co. Court. The case was continued from time to time until the June court of 1758:

“A suit on behalf of the Lord Proprietary vs Letitia Shelby for destroying a bound tree for a tract of land belonging to Dr Carroll, when it was ‘maked struck off after 15 continuances…”

Evan’s great skill as a hunter and woodsman led to his appointment as Captain of a company of Rangers in the French and Indian War, during which year he made several successful expeditions into the Allegheny Mountains.

He fought many battles in what is called Braddock’s War and was noted for his performance in the battle fought at Loyal Hanning, now Bedford, Pennsylvania.

During the French and Indian War, Evan participated in General Edward Braddock’s campaign in 1755 and laid out part of the road from Fort Frederick to Fort Cumberland. He led the advance of the army under General Forbes, which took possession of Fort Du Quesne in 1758.

Having served as First Lieutenant in Captain Alexander Beall’s company 1757 to 1768, he was commissioned by Governor Sharpe of Maryland as Captain of a company of rangers, and also held a commission as Captain under the government of Pennsylvania. He was in the advance party of the force under General John Forbes, which took possession of Fort Duquesne in 1758, and crossed the Ohio River with more than half his company of scouts, making a daring reconnaissance of the fort.

On November 12, 1758, near Loyalhanna, he is said to have slain with his own hand one of the principal Indian chiefs.

In the same war, he served later as Major of a detachment of the Virginia regiment.

For several years after the conflict, Evan was a Justice of the Peace.

In May 1762, he was chosen one of the Managers for Maryland of the Potomac Company. He sustained heavy losses in the Indian trade from the ravages growing out of Pontiac’s Conspiracy of 1763, and most of his property in Maryland was subjected to sale for the satisfaction of his debts.

Hoping to better his fortune he moved, probably in 1773, to Fincastle County in southwest Virginia, where he engaged in farming, merchandising, and cattle ranching. He again became a prosperous landowner and influential frontier leader.

In 1774, he commanded the Fincastle Company in Dunmore’s War, and in the battle of Point Pleasant, October 10, 1774, he succeeded near the close of the action to the chief command as a result of the death or disability of his superior officers and he utterly routed the enemy.

His son, Isaac, served under his command as his Lieutenant in the Battle of Point Pleasant, which he was instrumental in winning. Isaac commanded the fort there until July, 1775, when his troops were disbanded by Lord Dunmore.

After returning to Kentucky due to failing health, he became involved in the Battle of Long Island Flats. At the first onset of the Indians, the American lines were broken, and then Shelby, present only as a volunteer Private, seized the command, reformed the troops, and defeated the Indians, with the loss of only two badly wounded men.

This battle, and John Sevier’s defence of Watauga, frustrated the rear attack by which the British hoped to envelop and crush the southern colonies.

In 1776, he was appointed by Governor Patrick Henry of Virginia a Major in the troops commanded by Colonel William Christian against the Cherokees, and on December 21, he became Colonel of the militia of the County of Washington, of which he was also a magistrate.

In 1777, he was entrusted with the command of sundry garrisons posted on the frontier of Virginia, and in association with Preston and Christian, negotiated a treaty with the Cherokees.

When Sevier, in 1779, projected the expedition that captured the British stores at Chickamauga, Shelby equipped and supplied the troops by the pledge of his individual credit. In this year he was commissioned a Major by Governor Thomas Jefferson, but, when the state line was run, his residence was found to be in North Carolina. He then resigned his commission, but was at once appointed Colonel of Sullivan County by Caswell.

He was in Kentucky, perfecting his title to lands he had selected on his previous visit, when he heard of the fall of Charleston and the desperate situation of affairs in the southern colonies. He at once returned to engage in active service and, crossing the mountains into South Carolina in July, 1780, he won victories over the British at Thicketty Fort, Cedar Springs, and Musgrove’s Mill. But, as the disastrous defeat at Camden occurred just before the last engagement, he was obliged to retreat across the Alleghanies. There he undertook with John Sevier the remarkable expedition which resulted in the Battle of King’s Mountain and turned the tide of the revolution. For this important service he and Sevier received the thanks of the North Carolina legislature, and the vote of a sword and a pair of pistols.

As a result of the new boundary line between Virginia and North Carolina, it was discovered that his residence was in North Carolina, and in 1781, he was elected a member of its Senate. Five years later, the Carolina Assembly made him Brigadier General of the militia of the Washington District of North Carolina, the first officer of that grade on the “Western Waters”.

In March 1787, as commissioner for North Carolina, he negotiated a temporary truce with Col. John Sevier, Governor of the insurgent and short-lived “State of Franklin”.

In August 1787, he was elected Governor of the “State of Franklin” to succeed Sevier but declined. Having resigned his post as Brigadier General on October 29,1787, he withdrew from public life.

The following is my transcription of the marriage record of Thomas White and Rebeckah Harris.

The marriage was performed with members of the Philadelphia monthly meeting, friends, and their families on 8da 4mo 1704.

38.

Whereas Thomas White of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania Baker & Rebeckah Harris of the same place having declared their intentions of marriage with each other before several monthly meetings of the people of God called Quakers in Philadelphia aforesaid, according to the good order used amongst them whose proceedings therein after due deliberation thereof and having consent of parties and relations concerned, they appearing clear of all other were approved of by the said meetings Now these are to certify all whom it may concern that for the full accomplishing of their said intentions this eighth day of the fourth mouth in the year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Four they the said Thomas White and Rebeckah Harris appeared in a publick & solemn assembly of the aforesaid people and others met together at their publick meeting house in Philadelphia aforesaid and in a solemn manner he the said Thomas White taking her the said Rebeckah Harris by the hand did openly declare That he took her to be his wife, promising with gods assistance to be to her a faithful & loving husband till death should separate them and then and there is the said assembly the said Rebeckah Harris did likewise declare That she took him the said Thomas White to be her husband in like manner promising to be to him a faithful and loving wife till death should separate and for a further confirmation thereof they the said Thomas White and Rebeckah Harris (she according to the Custom of Marriage) assuming the name of her husband did then & there to these presents set their hands and we whose names are here underwritten being present amongst others at the solemnization of their said Marriage & subscription in manner aforesaid As witnesses thereunto, have also to these presents subscribed our names the day and year above written.

The complete original scans of the documents clips above can be accessed by clicking the images.

To access sources, data, images and documents for these and other individuals, search the Blythe Genealogy database site using the surname search link and the ‘All Media‘ search link, both in the top menu.

It is recommended to search using both methods as the results do sometimes differ. All data on this site is available for free access and download.

Transcription: Partial will of Robert Owen of Pennsylvania’s Welsh tract.

The following is a transcript of the partial image of the will of Robert Owen of the Welsh Tract in Pennsylvania, scanned from “Merion in the Welsh Tract”. I’ve been able to find any reference to the missing top portion of the will.

Partial will of Robert Owen.

…????? fifty pound for & towards ye mantenance & pre?????ment of my other children which sume I doe wholey reffer to ye di????? of my here after named Legatees to be shared & divided among them as they find convenient & see cause

Also I doe constitute nominate & appoint my trusty & wellbeloved ffriends John Humphrey Hugh Roberts, John Roberts, Griffith John, Robert Jones, Robert Roberts, Robert Lloyd & Rowland Ellis to be trustees and overseers of this my will & testament, And doe hereby give full power to my forementioned friends to be my trustees to manage & dispose off my estate according to ye true ??? ??? of this my will & testament to ye best proffitt & advantage of my children.

Lastly I doe nominate & appoint my wellbeloved Cosin Griffith John abovenamed to be sole Executor of this my last will & testament. And doe hereby revoke & anull & make void all former wills by me hereto fore made In wittness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand & seal the second day of ye tenth month in ye year 1697

The image above links directly to the original document. You can access sources, data, images and documents for these and other individuals, by clicking on the name link, or searching the Blythe Genealogy database site using the surname search link and the ‘All Media‘ search link in the left sidebar.

It is recommended to search using both methods as the results can differ greatly due to a glitch in the software that doesn’t connect all images from the bio.

All data for this and numerous others on this site is available for free access and download.

John Bevan was the 12th great grandfather to my children. He was born 1646 in Treverigg, Llantrisant, Glamorgan, Wales, and was one of five children of Evan ap John (1600-1665) and his wife Jane ferch Richard (born 1645).

Signature of John Bevan (ap Evan).

According to “Merion in the Welsh Tract”, the Bevan “family of Treverigg was one of the most ancient in Glamorgan, and possessed considerable wealth for that day. The Bevans descended in the direct male line from the ancient Princes or Lords of Glamorgan, whose lineage is traceable for many generations back to the old Cymric Kings of the Island of Britain.”

His parents having died while he was very young, John inherited their very large estate, his brothers and sisters being excluded from the inheritance. Being a man of conscience, he provided for his brothers and sisters from the inheritance.

Meeting house built by John Bevan on his estate in Treverigg.Signature of Barbara Bevan.

In 1665, at the age of 19, John married Barbara Catherine Aubrey (1637-1710) and became a Minister of the Society of Friends in Wales soon after. He built the Friends’ Meeting House on his estate in Treverigg, Glamorgan.

Over the next fifteen years, they had six children:

Jane Bevan (born 1667) married John Wood of Darby in 1687.

Evan Bevan (1674-1720) married Eleanor Wood of Darby in 1693.

Katharine Bevan (born 1675)

Lady Ann Bevan (1676-1723)

Elizabeth Bevan (born 1678) married Joseph Richardson of Philadelphia in 1697.

Finally, in the newest free update to RootsMagic 6, they have fine tuned the date calculations so it can understand, reformat, convert and sort an entry in the old Quaker date format.

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ll have noticed that I’ve had my trials when looking for a software program that will handle, understand and convert Quaker dates (both old and new style) within the program.

For the longest time now, up until recently, RootsMagic was the only software that would accept the custom date format, but it didn’t have the capability of converting it to the modern format for the sort date. This meant that every time I entered a Quaker date, which could be written one of a number of ways, I had to manually calculate and convert the date and enter it in the background sort date cell so events would sort correctly.

The yellow circle shows the date entered as it appeared in the original source. The green circle shows the sort date entered manually.

For example, while transcribing data from a source in which the date is noted as “22 11th mo 1724”, I would type it exactly as seen in the source. Then I’d have to calculate the actual date in modern terms using a confusing and complicated formula that I won’t go into here because with RootsMagic 6 there’s no need to know it. RootsMagic 6 now magically reformats the date I’ve typed, “22 11th mo 1724”, to show as 22da 11mo 1724 in the main date field. Meanwhile a few cells lower, the sort date has automatically converted the Quaker date to the modern equivalent for accurate sorting and timelines, “22 Jan 1725.”

The yellow circle shows the automatically reformatted date from that entered in the previous image. The green circle shows the automatically calculated, equivalent, modern format date.

I love this! Several times now, I’ve corresponded with the staff at both Family Tree Maker and Heredis, hoping they would update their software to at the very least, accept and show custom date formats as entered and allow the user to manually enter a sort date. My correspondence with Heredis was just a few months ago and I must say they were interested and emailed me right away, asking for a copy of my gedcom and RootsMagic file so they could take a look at how it handles custom date entries. I’ve heard nothing since. Then, a week or so ago, I received an announcement that they were releasing a new version and I was so excited, hoping it had been changed to use custom date formats.

I immediately downloaded the trial and entered a gedcom that has custom dates entered, but alas, no such date management feature had been set up.

I’m hoping this was because they heard RootsMagic 6 was improving its date handling and wanted to see it first, not that they shelved it. Since the Heredis software maker is in France, it’s been difficult to convince them just how prevalent Quaker ancestors are in American ancestries.

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